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American Morning

Iraqis Conquer Fear; Michael Jackson Case

Aired January 31, 2005 - 9:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Millions of Iraqis conquer fear in a free election to mull their own future. Votes are being counted.
Also...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL JACKSON, SINGER: Please keep an open mind and let me have my day in court. I deserve a fair trial, like every other American citizen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Perhaps the biggest celebrity trial of all time begins today. A jury must be picked to judge Michael Jackson.

And the deep freeze in the Deep South. Georgia counting on the power of the sun because tens of thousands still have no electricity on this AMERICAN MORNING.

ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Last day in January and the day after the big vote in Iraq among the many headlines again this hour.

You know, the weeks leading up to the elections in Iraq, very dangerous, very deadly for American forces. We'll meet a wife today who has been waiting to exhale. Her husband is a National Guardsman serving in Iraq. We'll talk to her.

O'BRIEN: Also this morning, fingers dipped in ink were a sign of Iraqi pride yesterday, meaning that somebody had voted. Well, some people are saying today that the U.S. should swallow some of its pride and get out of Iraq. Illinois Democratic Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky has some strong ideas that she's going to share with us ahead.

HEMMER: All right.

Jack, what's happening? Good morning.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Well, you can't help but wonder how this election yesterday went down in places like Damascus and Riyadh and other capitals around the Middle East. They had better-than- expected turnout. Obviously some happy Iraqis, the idea of having a voice perhaps in their own future. And these other totalitarian kind of fourth century regimes around the Middle East had to be paying attention, and maybe not liking so much what they see. I mean, after all, could they be next?

AM@CNN.com. How do you think it played out in the other Middle East countries?

HEMMER: Kind of like, if they can do it, why can't we?

CAFFERTY: Exactly.

HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.

CAFFERTY: Funny thing about freedom, it's contagious.

HEMMER: Let's get to Baghdad straight away right now. A vote counting already started in Iraq. Some are suggesting the early phases of that counting process are already completed. Election workers started adding up the ballots as soon as the polls closed on Sunday evening.

And Christiane Amanpour starts our coverage this hour live in Baghdad with more there.

Christiane, hello.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill.

And many people are already saying that the victory of these elections belongs not only to the Iraqi people, but most especially to the grandfather of the Shiites here, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, because it was he who maneuvered the U.S. into holding these elections, one person, one vote, one election earlier than they would have otherwise wanted. And today, in the Shiite slums and areas and city as cross Iraq, there is mass rejoicing by Shiites and followers of the grand ayatollah.

Shiites are considered probably going to win a big bulk of these votes. And already people who are in that party the, United Iraqi Alliance, are telling CNN that their initial reports from their own party agents suggests that they have got anywhere between 55 and 60 percent of the vote.

Of course it's too early to know officially. And we're going to wait and see.

Ballot counting continues. It started right after the polls closed at 5:00 p.m. local time. Some of it in candlelight and flashlight because of the persistent and chronic electricity shortages. But nonetheless, people still waiting, still pleased, pleased that they were able to get out and vote yesterday.

And, of course, we've also tried to figure out what this means for the broader spread of democracy in the Middle East. Today, I spoke exclusively with Jordan's King Abdullah, a key ally of the United States, a neighbor of Iraq, and asked him whether this was going to cause Arab rulers to shake in their boots now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING ABDULLAH II, JORDAN: Once you open the door of reform and it's allowed to be discussed in society as it is throughout the Middle East, it's very difficult to close again. So I think that people are waking up, leaders are understanding that they have to push reform forward. And I don't think there's any looking back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AMANPOUR: So there will be more of that interview throughout the day on CNN. And again, we wait and watch and just look forward to the official results. Although we're told that official results probably won't be before a week or 10 days.

HEMMER: Christiane, thanks. Christiane Amanpour in Baghdad. Much more later this hour.

Here's Soledad now with more.

O'BRIEN: Thank you, Bill.

Headlines now with Carol Costello.

Good morning once again, Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you. Good morning to all of you.

Vindicated. That's what Michael Jackson says he will be soon. His trial starts today.

That "vindicated" word came in a videotape released by Jackson. He predicts he will be acquitted of child molestation charges against him. He'll "be vindicated by truth."

By law, Jackson must be on hand today for the jury selection process. So he will be in court. And so will we.

The Pentagon says it could have been enemy fire that brought down a British cargo plane. The British government saying nine air force personnel and one soldier are missing and believed dead. A Hercules C-130 transport plane like the one shown in this video went down near Baghdad Sunday.

Call it a prebuttal. Two days before President Bush is set to deliver his State of the Union Address, Democrat leaders in Congress are rebutting early. In a speech to be given later today, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid will challenge the president on his policy in Iraq and his plans for Social Security. He'll deliver that speech in a joint appearance with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Repairs completed. Metrolink rail service is expected to roll again this morning. The service was suspended after a train crash in Glendale, California. Eleven people died in that crash. The man accused of causing the crash is now undergoing medical evaluation. His arraignment has been delayed until mid-February.

Back to you, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, Carol. Thanks.

This morning, it is all over, except for the counting. Voting in Iraqi's first free election in nearly 50 years is over. But it will likely be days until we know the results in the historic vote that many are calling a huge success.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very, very happy today! Very, very happy!

O'BRIEN (voice-over): With the simple act of voting, Iraqis spoke volumes about their desire for freedom.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Iraqi people make Iraqi future this day.

O'BRIEN: Millions cast their ballots on Sunday in Iraq's first free election in half a century. President Bush declared it a resounding success.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Men and women have taken rightful control of their country's destiny. And they have chosen a future of freedom and peace.

O'BRIEN: But it comes at a price. At least 29 people were killed in election day violence. Despite the threat of attacks, Iraqis went to the polls in large numbers. Their ink-stained fingers a symbolic badge of honor and perhaps a sign they will not be intimidated by the insurgents.

ADNAN PACHACHI, FMR. IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBER: Obviously they could not carry out their threats either because they did not have the ability or because of the determination of the Iraqi people to -- really to oppose them and to defy them.

O'BRIEN: While the actual voter turnout is not yet known, officials say it exceeded expectations. And that's led some to question whether this is the beginning of the end for U.S. troops in Iraq. America's new secretary of state dismissed any timetable.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: But there will be a very clear point at which American and coalition forces are stepping back as Iraqis are more capable in their own right. And we just have to get to that point.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: We have been covering how the Iraqi election is affecting U.S. military families. Donna Callahan is the wife of a Lieutenant Colonel Chris Callahan. He's a member of the Army National Guard, who just deployed to Iraq just a few weeks ago. She joins us from Boston, Massachusetts, with her reaction to yesterday's balloting.

Nice to see you, Donna. Thanks for talking with us.

DONNA CALLAHAN, WIFE OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL CHRIS CALLAHAN: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: As we mentioned, your husband arrived early in Iraq just three weeks ago. I have to imagine that, in the weeks before this election, you were filled with much trepidation, because, of course, threats of the violence increasing. So how are you doing today?

CALLAHAN: Well, I would say we're breathing a little bit easier. Not quite a sigh of relief. I think the sigh of relief will -- will come when he comes back home. But I think definitely breathing easier.

O'BRIEN: Were you watching any of the election on television? Did you see the Iraqis dancing in the streets and waving their fingers that were covered with ink? What did you think?

CALLAHAN: I did, actually. And that's the first time in quite a while that I have spent any focused time watching the news, for obvious reasons. But it was very -- it was wonderful to see. It was very poignant for my children to get a better understanding of what the election meant. So it was a good day for us yesterday.

O'BRIEN: Are you surprised that it went as well as it seems to have gone? Obviously we're waiting for the numbers to come in, the number -- the percentage of people who actually voted in the various regions.

CALLAHAN: Well, I think it's really a tribute to the heart and the spirit of the Iraqi people, and also a testament to what a wonderful job our troops are doing over there. So I think that's -- that's really a testament to those two things.

O'BRIEN: Do you expect more peace now that this first step has been taken, as some people do? Or do you think, as other people have said, things could actually get worse as far as security and violence goes?

CALLAHAN: What I like to focus on is that I believe that this is the beginning of turning a corner. And, you know, most of my mental energy is just focused on taking care of my family, working with the other military spouses, and just letting our troops know over that that we're home and we're thinking about them.

So I really believe it's the beginning of turning a corner. But as you know, things can happen very quickly and change on a dime.

O'BRIEN: You mention your family. You've got a little boy named Devon (ph) and two girls, Kathleen (ph) and Grace (ph).

CALLAHAN: I do. O'BRIEN: They're old enough, being 12, 10 and 8, to understand things better than certainly little kids would. What do you tell them about the role that their dad is playing, not specifically day-to-day, but kind of in the bigger picture of freedom in the world?

CALLAHAN: They really understand that it's our turn to make a sacrifice. And we have spent more time I think on history lessons and talking about the Middle East than I think we ever have before. But they understand that this is their dad's job and this is what he has been training to do for over 20 years, and it's our turn to do our part.

O'BRIEN: It's his job, it's what he's been trained to do for over 20 years. At the same time, you must be incredibly proud of what he's done. Again, not just in the context of it's his job, but also in -- you know, what he's been trained to do is something that is on a very large scale.

CALLAHAN: He's a very honorable man, and he has been blessed with a wonderful group of soldiers that are with him. So I know that he feels very fortunate.

O'BRIEN: Well, Donna Callahan, nice to have you talk with us. We certainly appreciate it. Our best to your family as well.

CALLAHAN: Thank you. May I also just send out our love and support on behalf of all of the spouses and family and friends of the 1st of the 126th. We love you, we're proud of you. And please stay safe.

O'BRIEN: You absolutely may, and you just did. Thanks, Donna.

CALLAHAN: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: And well done, too.

Weather-wise, the Southeast thawing out after a brutal ice storm over the weekend. Thick blankets of ice, sometimes two and three inches thick, in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. Temperatures starting to creep up higher today. That's going to help with the thawing effort. Power crews restoring electricity to the tune of tens of thousands whose power lines were snapped from the weight of the ice.

Meanwhile, in -- northeast of that, rather, in North Carolina, many schools are starting to classes later than normal because of lingering snow and ice in the Tar Heel State. The Charlotte area saw one to two inches of snow and sleet.

North Carolina, boy, they've had a tough, tough winter so far. But what are you going up to today, down there, Chad, 47, maybe 50 today in Atlanta?

(WEATHER REPORT) HEMMER: Thank you, Chad. Talk to you later.

More on the election now in a moment. After the ballots are finely counted, when will it time to bring U.S. forces back home? We'll talk with one lawmaker with a specific time line in mind on that.

O'BRIEN: And jury selection in the Michael Jackson case just hours away. How did we get to this point? A live report from outside the courthouse just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Jury selection is set to begin today, in fact, in a few hours from now in California. This in the child molestation case against Michael Jackson. Yesterday, Jackson released a video statement online about leaks in his case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACKSON: I love my community. And I have great faith in our justice system. Please keep an open mind and let me have my day in court. I deserve a fair trial, like every other American citizen. I will be acquitted and vindicated when the truth is told.

Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: That was from yesterday. Today, Miguel Marquez up early now at the Santa Maria Courthouse with more in California.

Good morning out there.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And we have company out here. Not only is the media gathered out here, but there's also about 100, maybe 150 fans or so. And some people on victims' rights as well, who have already gathered here. They have been out here since about 3:00 this morning, when we got out here.

Over the next three days, what we're going to see is 750 jurors or prospective jurors shuffling through the courtroom. The judge is going to have one basic question for them: can you serve the four to five, maybe six months it's going to take to try Michael Jackson? You know, it's been a long road -- it will be a long ahead, and it has certainly been a long road to get here.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ANDERSON, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SHERIFF: An arrest warrant for Mr. Jackson has been issued on multiple counts of child molestation.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): It started November 18, 2003, with a day- long search of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. Two days later, Jackson was booked on suspicion of child molestation. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Easy, easy. Somebody is going to get hurt.

MARK GERAGOS, FMR. JACKSON ATTORNEY: He considers this to be a big lie.

MARQUEZ: A month later, Jackson was facing formal charges, seven counts of molestation and two counts of giving alcohol to a minor.

TOM SNEDDON, SANTA BARBARA DISTRICT ATTORNEY: We filed formal charges, a felony criminal complaint against Mr. Jackson.

MARQUEZ: And then, Michael Jackson was arraigned for the first time. At what looked more like a concert than an arraignment, Jackson pleaded not guilty. As the months wore on, so did the investigation. Santa Barbara district attorney Tom Sneddon convened a grand jury to hear evidence massed against the pop star and to consider new charges.

TOM MESEREAU, JACKSON'S ATTORNEY: This case is about one thing only, the complete vindication of a wonderful human being named Michael Jackson.

MARQUEZ: When the grand jury handed up 10 counts, Jackson had a new lawyer and a new arraignment. He also had any new problem. In addition to molestation, Jackson was now charged with conspiring to imprison and extort his accuser and his family.

JACKSON: I want to thank the community of Santa Maria. I want you to know that I love the community of Santa Maria very much.

MARQUEZ: Jackson was now facing the reality that 12 people from a small town on California's central coast would soon be deciding his future. A year later, after almost two dozen pretrial hearings and over 100 search warrants executed against Jackson, the showdown is set for the pop star versus the prosecutor.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUEZ: And as somebody who has covered a lot of those pretrial hearings, it is hard to believe we are finally at this point in time. What's going to happen after these 750 jurors cycle through here, is that those that say they can serve for the six months or so of this trial, next week both sides, the defense and the prosecution, will start to question those jurors to figure out which ones, 12 jurors and eight alternates, will eventually judge Michael Jackson.

Back to you.

HEMMER: Thanks, Miguel, in Santa Maria -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Six days and counting until the biggest day of the year if you're a football fan. An excited Philadelphia team arrived in Jacksonville yesterday. Quarterback Donovan McNabb was there, recording every moment -- there he is -- of his Super Bowl experience.

Meanwhile, two young Patriots fans waited patiently for their team to arrive in Florida. They might be a little disappointed. There are strict orders for security to foil autograph-seekers unless the players want to sign them.

The Pats did arrive yesterday afternoon. The defending champions are staying in St. Augustine, which is about 40 miles south of Jacksonville.

HEMMER: Super Bowl Sunday, one of the best days of the year, Soledad. I'm telling you.

The potential of democracy is seen through the eyes of a baby girl. Why a child may be a lasting symbol of Iraq's historic election on Sunday. That's ahead after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: A new mother in Iraq has found a unique way to remember the historic vote. Tahir Ghazi Mohammed (ph) named her newborn baby girl a word that I cannot pronounce. But it's in Arabic, but it means "election" in English.

There the little girl is screaming, like a newborn should. Mohammed (ph) gave birth yesterday, the same day that millions of Iraqis cast their ballot for the first free election in 50 years. The baby's aunt says that the family was inspired by the elections and hopes for a new peaceful era in Iraq.

CAFFERTY: That's good stuff.

O'BRIEN: As Christiane pointed out, remember back in the day when everybody was naming their kid Saddam?

CAFFERTY: Yes.

O'BRIEN: The tide has turned.

CAFFERTY: It has. And it's nice to see women participating.

O'BRIEN: Yes.

CAFFERTY: I mean, they haven't had a big voice in the political future of that country.

In the end, the people of Iraq delivering a powerful message, better than any foreign army or government. Millions of ordinary folks going to the polls and rejecting the insurgents, the fundamentalists and those who would rule the country by force. It was a powerful message, one that exceeded optimistic expectations.

Were they listening in places like Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia? You can bet they were. What message do the Iraq elections send to the Middle East is what we're asking this morning?

Christopher says, "My guess and greatest hope is that the Iraqi election will have a profound effect on Middle East politics. Once people have felt the power of voting, tyrants find it very hard to attract a majority, as the very courageous people of Ukraine recently demonstrated." Gerald in Minneapolis, Minnesota, "Bush's team got an early field goal. The Sunni nation now gets the ball."

Charles in Savannah, Georgia, "I think it would be prudent to wait until we see the actual results of this election before we congratulate ourselves too much. This election may end up as a beacon of hope in the Middle East. It still very easily could become the first step in a three-way civil war."

And Paul in Halifax, Nova Scotia, "The message of the citizens of other Middle Eastern countries is quite simply to have the couldn't courage to tell the Islamo fascists and tin pot despots oppressing them to bend over, put your heads between your legs and kiss your collective totalitarian butts good-bye."

(LAUGHTER)

HEMMER: Wow.

O'BRIEN: Wow.

CAFFERTY: That's a take on an old phrase. We had to clean it up a little.

HEMMER: Just a little.

(CROSSTALK)

CAFFERTY: Yes, it's a family show.

O'BRIEN: All right, Jack. Thanks very much.

And we will be right back.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC)

O'BRIEN (voice-over): HBO's hit show "The Sopranos" is about to hit pay dirt in syndication. But who is going to clean up the mob's act?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE, "THE SOPRANOS": Are you saying what I think you're saying?

O'BRIEN: And Robert De Niro comes out swinging in "Hide and Seek." Did he leave Ice Cube and Hilary Swank down for the count at the box office? "90-Second Pop" ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired January 31, 2005 - 9:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Millions of Iraqis conquer fear in a free election to mull their own future. Votes are being counted.
Also...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL JACKSON, SINGER: Please keep an open mind and let me have my day in court. I deserve a fair trial, like every other American citizen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Perhaps the biggest celebrity trial of all time begins today. A jury must be picked to judge Michael Jackson.

And the deep freeze in the Deep South. Georgia counting on the power of the sun because tens of thousands still have no electricity on this AMERICAN MORNING.

ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Last day in January and the day after the big vote in Iraq among the many headlines again this hour.

You know, the weeks leading up to the elections in Iraq, very dangerous, very deadly for American forces. We'll meet a wife today who has been waiting to exhale. Her husband is a National Guardsman serving in Iraq. We'll talk to her.

O'BRIEN: Also this morning, fingers dipped in ink were a sign of Iraqi pride yesterday, meaning that somebody had voted. Well, some people are saying today that the U.S. should swallow some of its pride and get out of Iraq. Illinois Democratic Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky has some strong ideas that she's going to share with us ahead.

HEMMER: All right.

Jack, what's happening? Good morning.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Well, you can't help but wonder how this election yesterday went down in places like Damascus and Riyadh and other capitals around the Middle East. They had better-than- expected turnout. Obviously some happy Iraqis, the idea of having a voice perhaps in their own future. And these other totalitarian kind of fourth century regimes around the Middle East had to be paying attention, and maybe not liking so much what they see. I mean, after all, could they be next?

AM@CNN.com. How do you think it played out in the other Middle East countries?

HEMMER: Kind of like, if they can do it, why can't we?

CAFFERTY: Exactly.

HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.

CAFFERTY: Funny thing about freedom, it's contagious.

HEMMER: Let's get to Baghdad straight away right now. A vote counting already started in Iraq. Some are suggesting the early phases of that counting process are already completed. Election workers started adding up the ballots as soon as the polls closed on Sunday evening.

And Christiane Amanpour starts our coverage this hour live in Baghdad with more there.

Christiane, hello.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill.

And many people are already saying that the victory of these elections belongs not only to the Iraqi people, but most especially to the grandfather of the Shiites here, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, because it was he who maneuvered the U.S. into holding these elections, one person, one vote, one election earlier than they would have otherwise wanted. And today, in the Shiite slums and areas and city as cross Iraq, there is mass rejoicing by Shiites and followers of the grand ayatollah.

Shiites are considered probably going to win a big bulk of these votes. And already people who are in that party the, United Iraqi Alliance, are telling CNN that their initial reports from their own party agents suggests that they have got anywhere between 55 and 60 percent of the vote.

Of course it's too early to know officially. And we're going to wait and see.

Ballot counting continues. It started right after the polls closed at 5:00 p.m. local time. Some of it in candlelight and flashlight because of the persistent and chronic electricity shortages. But nonetheless, people still waiting, still pleased, pleased that they were able to get out and vote yesterday.

And, of course, we've also tried to figure out what this means for the broader spread of democracy in the Middle East. Today, I spoke exclusively with Jordan's King Abdullah, a key ally of the United States, a neighbor of Iraq, and asked him whether this was going to cause Arab rulers to shake in their boots now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING ABDULLAH II, JORDAN: Once you open the door of reform and it's allowed to be discussed in society as it is throughout the Middle East, it's very difficult to close again. So I think that people are waking up, leaders are understanding that they have to push reform forward. And I don't think there's any looking back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AMANPOUR: So there will be more of that interview throughout the day on CNN. And again, we wait and watch and just look forward to the official results. Although we're told that official results probably won't be before a week or 10 days.

HEMMER: Christiane, thanks. Christiane Amanpour in Baghdad. Much more later this hour.

Here's Soledad now with more.

O'BRIEN: Thank you, Bill.

Headlines now with Carol Costello.

Good morning once again, Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you. Good morning to all of you.

Vindicated. That's what Michael Jackson says he will be soon. His trial starts today.

That "vindicated" word came in a videotape released by Jackson. He predicts he will be acquitted of child molestation charges against him. He'll "be vindicated by truth."

By law, Jackson must be on hand today for the jury selection process. So he will be in court. And so will we.

The Pentagon says it could have been enemy fire that brought down a British cargo plane. The British government saying nine air force personnel and one soldier are missing and believed dead. A Hercules C-130 transport plane like the one shown in this video went down near Baghdad Sunday.

Call it a prebuttal. Two days before President Bush is set to deliver his State of the Union Address, Democrat leaders in Congress are rebutting early. In a speech to be given later today, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid will challenge the president on his policy in Iraq and his plans for Social Security. He'll deliver that speech in a joint appearance with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Repairs completed. Metrolink rail service is expected to roll again this morning. The service was suspended after a train crash in Glendale, California. Eleven people died in that crash. The man accused of causing the crash is now undergoing medical evaluation. His arraignment has been delayed until mid-February.

Back to you, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, Carol. Thanks.

This morning, it is all over, except for the counting. Voting in Iraqi's first free election in nearly 50 years is over. But it will likely be days until we know the results in the historic vote that many are calling a huge success.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very, very happy today! Very, very happy!

O'BRIEN (voice-over): With the simple act of voting, Iraqis spoke volumes about their desire for freedom.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Iraqi people make Iraqi future this day.

O'BRIEN: Millions cast their ballots on Sunday in Iraq's first free election in half a century. President Bush declared it a resounding success.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Men and women have taken rightful control of their country's destiny. And they have chosen a future of freedom and peace.

O'BRIEN: But it comes at a price. At least 29 people were killed in election day violence. Despite the threat of attacks, Iraqis went to the polls in large numbers. Their ink-stained fingers a symbolic badge of honor and perhaps a sign they will not be intimidated by the insurgents.

ADNAN PACHACHI, FMR. IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBER: Obviously they could not carry out their threats either because they did not have the ability or because of the determination of the Iraqi people to -- really to oppose them and to defy them.

O'BRIEN: While the actual voter turnout is not yet known, officials say it exceeded expectations. And that's led some to question whether this is the beginning of the end for U.S. troops in Iraq. America's new secretary of state dismissed any timetable.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: But there will be a very clear point at which American and coalition forces are stepping back as Iraqis are more capable in their own right. And we just have to get to that point.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: We have been covering how the Iraqi election is affecting U.S. military families. Donna Callahan is the wife of a Lieutenant Colonel Chris Callahan. He's a member of the Army National Guard, who just deployed to Iraq just a few weeks ago. She joins us from Boston, Massachusetts, with her reaction to yesterday's balloting.

Nice to see you, Donna. Thanks for talking with us.

DONNA CALLAHAN, WIFE OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL CHRIS CALLAHAN: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: As we mentioned, your husband arrived early in Iraq just three weeks ago. I have to imagine that, in the weeks before this election, you were filled with much trepidation, because, of course, threats of the violence increasing. So how are you doing today?

CALLAHAN: Well, I would say we're breathing a little bit easier. Not quite a sigh of relief. I think the sigh of relief will -- will come when he comes back home. But I think definitely breathing easier.

O'BRIEN: Were you watching any of the election on television? Did you see the Iraqis dancing in the streets and waving their fingers that were covered with ink? What did you think?

CALLAHAN: I did, actually. And that's the first time in quite a while that I have spent any focused time watching the news, for obvious reasons. But it was very -- it was wonderful to see. It was very poignant for my children to get a better understanding of what the election meant. So it was a good day for us yesterday.

O'BRIEN: Are you surprised that it went as well as it seems to have gone? Obviously we're waiting for the numbers to come in, the number -- the percentage of people who actually voted in the various regions.

CALLAHAN: Well, I think it's really a tribute to the heart and the spirit of the Iraqi people, and also a testament to what a wonderful job our troops are doing over there. So I think that's -- that's really a testament to those two things.

O'BRIEN: Do you expect more peace now that this first step has been taken, as some people do? Or do you think, as other people have said, things could actually get worse as far as security and violence goes?

CALLAHAN: What I like to focus on is that I believe that this is the beginning of turning a corner. And, you know, most of my mental energy is just focused on taking care of my family, working with the other military spouses, and just letting our troops know over that that we're home and we're thinking about them.

So I really believe it's the beginning of turning a corner. But as you know, things can happen very quickly and change on a dime.

O'BRIEN: You mention your family. You've got a little boy named Devon (ph) and two girls, Kathleen (ph) and Grace (ph).

CALLAHAN: I do. O'BRIEN: They're old enough, being 12, 10 and 8, to understand things better than certainly little kids would. What do you tell them about the role that their dad is playing, not specifically day-to-day, but kind of in the bigger picture of freedom in the world?

CALLAHAN: They really understand that it's our turn to make a sacrifice. And we have spent more time I think on history lessons and talking about the Middle East than I think we ever have before. But they understand that this is their dad's job and this is what he has been training to do for over 20 years, and it's our turn to do our part.

O'BRIEN: It's his job, it's what he's been trained to do for over 20 years. At the same time, you must be incredibly proud of what he's done. Again, not just in the context of it's his job, but also in -- you know, what he's been trained to do is something that is on a very large scale.

CALLAHAN: He's a very honorable man, and he has been blessed with a wonderful group of soldiers that are with him. So I know that he feels very fortunate.

O'BRIEN: Well, Donna Callahan, nice to have you talk with us. We certainly appreciate it. Our best to your family as well.

CALLAHAN: Thank you. May I also just send out our love and support on behalf of all of the spouses and family and friends of the 1st of the 126th. We love you, we're proud of you. And please stay safe.

O'BRIEN: You absolutely may, and you just did. Thanks, Donna.

CALLAHAN: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: And well done, too.

Weather-wise, the Southeast thawing out after a brutal ice storm over the weekend. Thick blankets of ice, sometimes two and three inches thick, in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. Temperatures starting to creep up higher today. That's going to help with the thawing effort. Power crews restoring electricity to the tune of tens of thousands whose power lines were snapped from the weight of the ice.

Meanwhile, in -- northeast of that, rather, in North Carolina, many schools are starting to classes later than normal because of lingering snow and ice in the Tar Heel State. The Charlotte area saw one to two inches of snow and sleet.

North Carolina, boy, they've had a tough, tough winter so far. But what are you going up to today, down there, Chad, 47, maybe 50 today in Atlanta?

(WEATHER REPORT) HEMMER: Thank you, Chad. Talk to you later.

More on the election now in a moment. After the ballots are finely counted, when will it time to bring U.S. forces back home? We'll talk with one lawmaker with a specific time line in mind on that.

O'BRIEN: And jury selection in the Michael Jackson case just hours away. How did we get to this point? A live report from outside the courthouse just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Jury selection is set to begin today, in fact, in a few hours from now in California. This in the child molestation case against Michael Jackson. Yesterday, Jackson released a video statement online about leaks in his case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACKSON: I love my community. And I have great faith in our justice system. Please keep an open mind and let me have my day in court. I deserve a fair trial, like every other American citizen. I will be acquitted and vindicated when the truth is told.

Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: That was from yesterday. Today, Miguel Marquez up early now at the Santa Maria Courthouse with more in California.

Good morning out there.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And we have company out here. Not only is the media gathered out here, but there's also about 100, maybe 150 fans or so. And some people on victims' rights as well, who have already gathered here. They have been out here since about 3:00 this morning, when we got out here.

Over the next three days, what we're going to see is 750 jurors or prospective jurors shuffling through the courtroom. The judge is going to have one basic question for them: can you serve the four to five, maybe six months it's going to take to try Michael Jackson? You know, it's been a long road -- it will be a long ahead, and it has certainly been a long road to get here.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ANDERSON, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SHERIFF: An arrest warrant for Mr. Jackson has been issued on multiple counts of child molestation.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): It started November 18, 2003, with a day- long search of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. Two days later, Jackson was booked on suspicion of child molestation. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Easy, easy. Somebody is going to get hurt.

MARK GERAGOS, FMR. JACKSON ATTORNEY: He considers this to be a big lie.

MARQUEZ: A month later, Jackson was facing formal charges, seven counts of molestation and two counts of giving alcohol to a minor.

TOM SNEDDON, SANTA BARBARA DISTRICT ATTORNEY: We filed formal charges, a felony criminal complaint against Mr. Jackson.

MARQUEZ: And then, Michael Jackson was arraigned for the first time. At what looked more like a concert than an arraignment, Jackson pleaded not guilty. As the months wore on, so did the investigation. Santa Barbara district attorney Tom Sneddon convened a grand jury to hear evidence massed against the pop star and to consider new charges.

TOM MESEREAU, JACKSON'S ATTORNEY: This case is about one thing only, the complete vindication of a wonderful human being named Michael Jackson.

MARQUEZ: When the grand jury handed up 10 counts, Jackson had a new lawyer and a new arraignment. He also had any new problem. In addition to molestation, Jackson was now charged with conspiring to imprison and extort his accuser and his family.

JACKSON: I want to thank the community of Santa Maria. I want you to know that I love the community of Santa Maria very much.

MARQUEZ: Jackson was now facing the reality that 12 people from a small town on California's central coast would soon be deciding his future. A year later, after almost two dozen pretrial hearings and over 100 search warrants executed against Jackson, the showdown is set for the pop star versus the prosecutor.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUEZ: And as somebody who has covered a lot of those pretrial hearings, it is hard to believe we are finally at this point in time. What's going to happen after these 750 jurors cycle through here, is that those that say they can serve for the six months or so of this trial, next week both sides, the defense and the prosecution, will start to question those jurors to figure out which ones, 12 jurors and eight alternates, will eventually judge Michael Jackson.

Back to you.

HEMMER: Thanks, Miguel, in Santa Maria -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Six days and counting until the biggest day of the year if you're a football fan. An excited Philadelphia team arrived in Jacksonville yesterday. Quarterback Donovan McNabb was there, recording every moment -- there he is -- of his Super Bowl experience.

Meanwhile, two young Patriots fans waited patiently for their team to arrive in Florida. They might be a little disappointed. There are strict orders for security to foil autograph-seekers unless the players want to sign them.

The Pats did arrive yesterday afternoon. The defending champions are staying in St. Augustine, which is about 40 miles south of Jacksonville.

HEMMER: Super Bowl Sunday, one of the best days of the year, Soledad. I'm telling you.

The potential of democracy is seen through the eyes of a baby girl. Why a child may be a lasting symbol of Iraq's historic election on Sunday. That's ahead after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: A new mother in Iraq has found a unique way to remember the historic vote. Tahir Ghazi Mohammed (ph) named her newborn baby girl a word that I cannot pronounce. But it's in Arabic, but it means "election" in English.

There the little girl is screaming, like a newborn should. Mohammed (ph) gave birth yesterday, the same day that millions of Iraqis cast their ballot for the first free election in 50 years. The baby's aunt says that the family was inspired by the elections and hopes for a new peaceful era in Iraq.

CAFFERTY: That's good stuff.

O'BRIEN: As Christiane pointed out, remember back in the day when everybody was naming their kid Saddam?

CAFFERTY: Yes.

O'BRIEN: The tide has turned.

CAFFERTY: It has. And it's nice to see women participating.

O'BRIEN: Yes.

CAFFERTY: I mean, they haven't had a big voice in the political future of that country.

In the end, the people of Iraq delivering a powerful message, better than any foreign army or government. Millions of ordinary folks going to the polls and rejecting the insurgents, the fundamentalists and those who would rule the country by force. It was a powerful message, one that exceeded optimistic expectations.

Were they listening in places like Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia? You can bet they were. What message do the Iraq elections send to the Middle East is what we're asking this morning?

Christopher says, "My guess and greatest hope is that the Iraqi election will have a profound effect on Middle East politics. Once people have felt the power of voting, tyrants find it very hard to attract a majority, as the very courageous people of Ukraine recently demonstrated." Gerald in Minneapolis, Minnesota, "Bush's team got an early field goal. The Sunni nation now gets the ball."

Charles in Savannah, Georgia, "I think it would be prudent to wait until we see the actual results of this election before we congratulate ourselves too much. This election may end up as a beacon of hope in the Middle East. It still very easily could become the first step in a three-way civil war."

And Paul in Halifax, Nova Scotia, "The message of the citizens of other Middle Eastern countries is quite simply to have the couldn't courage to tell the Islamo fascists and tin pot despots oppressing them to bend over, put your heads between your legs and kiss your collective totalitarian butts good-bye."

(LAUGHTER)

HEMMER: Wow.

O'BRIEN: Wow.

CAFFERTY: That's a take on an old phrase. We had to clean it up a little.

HEMMER: Just a little.

(CROSSTALK)

CAFFERTY: Yes, it's a family show.

O'BRIEN: All right, Jack. Thanks very much.

And we will be right back.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC)

O'BRIEN (voice-over): HBO's hit show "The Sopranos" is about to hit pay dirt in syndication. But who is going to clean up the mob's act?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE, "THE SOPRANOS": Are you saying what I think you're saying?

O'BRIEN: And Robert De Niro comes out swinging in "Hide and Seek." Did he leave Ice Cube and Hilary Swank down for the count at the box office? "90-Second Pop" ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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